Endocrine Disruption in Light of DOHaD: The Challenges of Contaminants of Emerging Concern in Food and Water

The developmental origin of health and disease (DOHaD) concept has revealed that early life, including preconception and adolescence, is very a sensitive phase to many environmental influences. Any aggression can disrupt brain organization and peripheral tissues, including the endocrine system. The injuries will imprint the organism, inducing dysfunctions later in life. Air pollution and exposure to environmental chemicals present in food, water, and in many consumer products, such as cosmetics and plastic devices, have been associated with increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and mental disorders, among others. Contaminants of emerging concern are substances not commonly monitored in the environment, but which have potential to cause health effects. Among them are the pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, pesticides, industrial chemicals, surfactants, personal care products, and others that may jeopardize the endocrine system. This Research Topic is focused on evaluating the effect of these compounds during sensitive windows of development that could lead to permanent deleterious effects in adult life.

The aim is to highlight that environmental contaminants of emerging concern, even in traces, leave marks in our development. These can increase the risk of chronic diseases in adult life. However, interventions in the sensitive early phases, as programming windows, can block or at least mitigate the bad programing earlier.

This Research Topic is focused on endocrine disruption caused by many environmental contaminants of emerging concern. Specifically, we welcome review, mini review, and original research articles concerning the relationship between DOHaD and the following:
• Endocrine disruption
• Reproductive disorders
• Thyroid hormones disorders
• Neurodevelopmental effects
• Multi- and transgenerational effects of chemicals
• Epigenetics